Fish scale

Just pitched another Rapala scale. That makes about half a dozen over the years. Always happy with the accuracy. But they don’t seem to last. I was leery when I bought the first one. But bought a gallon of water at the grocery store. Had the butcher weigh it on the certified scale. Rapala was within an ounce or two. At this point I’d pay more for a better one. Last one was dead when I caught my 60-year personal best by far, Smallmouth last year. Still kills me what it weighed. Didn’t have the ability to measure girth. Relesed it after a very quick picture.

I have a digital scale but I rarely use it. Measuring my fish on a bump board is what I primarily do now instead. Its quicker, always accurate, and never fails like a scale does.

A 19 inch smallmouth bass is 19 inches on virtually everyone’s bump board. Whereas it is going to show all kinds of different weights with different scales.

gim wrote:

I have a digital scale but I rarely use it. Measuring my fish on a bump board is what I primarily do now instead. Its quicker, always accurate, and never fails like a scale does.

A 19 inch smallmouth bass is 19 inches on virtually everyone’s bump board. Whereas it is going to show all kinds of different weights with different scales.

I respectfully disagree. I was up spearing a week ago. Got a 33 inch and 34 inch pike. The yellow northland board said my 34 inch was close to 11 lbs. When I weighed it with my digital it was 8 lbs 11 oz. The board said the 33 would be 10 lbs 2 oz. I did not weigh that one.

glenn57 wrote:

I respectfully disagree. I was up spearing a week ago. Got a 33 inch and 34 inch pike. The yellow northland board said my 34 inch was close to 11 lbs. When I weighed it with my digital it was 8 lbs 11 oz. The board said the 33 would be 10 lbs 2 oz. I did not weigh that one.

That’s exactly what I’m talking about. Weights are all over the map. Measurements aren’t. I think we’re arguing and agreeing about the same issue here.

When you measure a 34 inch pike on your board, and I measure it on my board, the chances are they will be the same length. But if we each weigh it with our own scale, its very likely to be different weights.

Tournaments that still use weights all use a universal scale to do it. Either that or they all use the same scale at the weigh in so everyone’s fish is calculated on the same scale.

glenn57 wrote:

I respectfully disagree. I was up spearing a week ago. Got a 33 inch and 34 inch pike. The yellow northland board said my 34 inch was close to 11 lbs. When I weighed it with my digital it was 8 lbs 11 oz. The board said the 33 would be 10 lbs 2 oz. I did not weigh that one.

That’s not what he was saying. He’s saying bump boards are more accurate at measuring length than scales are at measuring weight.

Also, those length/weight charts are all garbage and should not be taken seriously.

tswoboda wrote:

That’s not what he was saying. He’s saying bump boards are more accurate at measuring length than scales are at measuring weight.

Also, those length/weight charts are all garbage and should not be taken seriously.

Yes, that is what I was saying. Thank you @tswoboda

gim wrote:

I have a digital scale but I rarely use it. Measuring my fish on a bump board is what I primarily do now instead. Its quicker, always accurate, and never fails like a scale does.

Only thing I would add is that weight is more meaningful on trophy fish. There’s a reason records are recorded by weight. Length only tells part of the size.

I’m not sure why, but it’s always chapped my a$$ when people tell me the weight of a fish they never weighed.

They are what they are in-terms of longevity. Simple and cheap, but effective components. They’re usually kept in a boat dash compartment, storage area or tackle box where extreme heat/cold and moisture are all factors. Seems like battery rupture and corrosion seem to happen with a lot of things like that, too. You can expect an average 2-3 yr lifespan under those conditions and on to the next one.

tswoboda wrote:

Only thing I would add is that weight is more meaningful on trophy fish. There’s a reason records are recorded by weight. Length only tells part of the size.

Completely agree. Although the MN state record for some fish species now have an official category for C & R length instead of weight. I believe its for the larger species like pure strain muskie, flathead catfish, lake sturgeon, and northern pike at this time.

Eventually I think there will be a C & R category for every species of state record fish in addition to the traditional weights. Primarily because when someone catches a potential state record, the immediate thought is to release it and not kill it. That’s at least how I think.

stevenoak wrote:

Just pitched another Rapala scale. That makes about half a dozen over the years. Always happy with the accuracy. But they don’t seem to last. I was leery when I bought the first one. But bought a gallon of water at the grocery store. Had the butcher weigh it on the certified scale. Rapala was within an ounce or two. At this point I’d pay more for a better one. Last one was dead when I caught my 60-year personal best by far, Smallmouth last year. Still kills me what it weighed. Didn’t have the ability to measure girth. Relesed it after a very quick picture.

I’ve apparently had this one for 9 years and it still works great and never let me down. The vast majority of use has been ice fishing lake trout in very cold weather. Use it more for weighing luggage and kids these days but I can say it’s been accurate compared with airport and clinic scales. It’s also accurate compared to my mailing scale that has a 3 lb max.

I will say it was stuck in KG for a few years but that’s just because I was too dumb to know how to change it back and forth. Got really good at multiplying by 2.2.

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I should mention that I prefer a scale with a clip, not a hook. I’ve seen too many fish gills get damaged from the dreaded metal hook. I’ve also seen fish flop off the hook and smack down on the floor or ground and kill themselves stone dead too. A clip is the way to go

^^i was thinking the same thing but with TSW kids. Ouch 🤕

Ripjiggen wrote:

^^i was thinking the same thing but with TSW kids. Ouch 🤕

Lol I wonder where he hooks up his kids to weigh them…

gim wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Ripjiggen wrote:</div>
^^i was thinking the same thing but with TSW kids. Ouch 🤕

Lol I wonder where he hooks up his kids to weigh them…

LOL I’m thinking this is more fun if I leave it up to your imagination…
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…Started out weighing them in the baby carseats but after we got rid of those they graduated to a 5 gallon bucket and eventually a duffle bag. Works great!

Stop flopping around you are making the scale bounce all over. 😂

Ok I’ll agree with you guys. Had to reread the post though.

I’m not touching weighing kids though.

I also have a love hate relationship with the Rapala digital scales. They are great when they work but they do not tend to hold up real will. I’ve gone through a few of them over the years. I just put one in my buddies boat late last summer. We had been catching some really nice fish and I kind of wanted to know what the weight was on some of them. Of course when I caught what I thought may have been my biggest one of the year the scale did not turn on. I got it back working but now the reset for the each fish weight will not reset. Oh well I’ll have to see if anything better is available at the start of next season

All those fish scales are liars, there always weighing way lighter then the fish actually weigh

Heck, every fisherperson knows that.

tswoboda wrote:

I’m not sure why, but it’s always chapped my a$$ when people tell me the weight of a fish they never weighed

If you’re able to see a photo, I’ve found their “weight” to be a good indicator of how many big fish they actually catch.

I’ve been on this site long enough to know better to post a picture and estimated weight of a fish. Thats a good way to get a good look at the muffler on a bus!! I don’t think the value is bad on the Rapala scale. Most have lasted near 10 years. More the timing when they decide to make a dump. This last time it was tested and got a new battery the week before I went on vacation.

Regardless of a bump board or a scale, I encourage everyone to adopt the “Moen Method” when determining fish size. The method officially states that you add an inch to any fish on a board and a pound to any fish on a scale. The method is only deployed post fishing when drinking beers and talking trash to your friends about your dominant fish catching skills.

You can also add a pound or an inch over whatever your buddies states…ie, “you caught a 26″ walleye? Yeah, well, did you see my 27?”

It’s foolproof.

Guess I have had pretty good luck with the Rapala scales. My only dig on them is most people hang the fish off the scale hook. A fish that is “Scale Worthy” should not be weighed like this IMO. I use old netting from a scoop net. Put the fish in the netting and hang the net on the scale. Then just subtract the weight of the netting of the total. Much easier on the fish.

-J.

I use this Rapala digital in the bass tournaments I fish and it’s proven to be very accurate. Can save up to 7 or 8 weights and totals it up for you as well. Been nice to have for the last two seasons.

https://tinyurl.com/fftdc38m

Matt Moen wrote:

Regardless of a bump board or a scale, I encourage everyone to adopt the “Moen Method” when determining fish size. The method officially states that you add an inch to any fish on a board and a pound to any fish on a scale. The method is only deployed post fishing when drinking beers and talking trash to your friends about your dominant fish catching skills.

You can also add a pound or an inch over whatever your buddies states…ie, “you caught a 26″ walleye? Yeah, well, did you see my 27?”

It’s foolproof.

Don’t forget inflation! Every year post catching a PB, it grows 1-2% per year or more if alcohol is involved. So for example, I was there when Matt caught the tarpon in his profile pic, and that fish was 150 lbs all day long (now )!!!

Don’t forget inflation! Every year post catching a PB, it grows 1-2% per year or more if alcohol is involved. So for example, I was there when Matt caught the tarpon in his profile pic, and that fish was 150 lbs all day long (now )!!!
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Well you might as well round up and call it a even 200lbs.

Bearcat89 wrote:

Well you might as well round up and call it a even 200lbs.

No need to rush it, given enough time and/or alcohol it will be 200 plus EASY! And it may have actually been 150 originally, especially before it voided itself all over my leg.

I’m the oddball here, I never used a scale that I have in the boat. I guess I don’t care what anything weighs, but that’s just me

BigWerm wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bearcat89 wrote:</div>
Well you might as well round up and call it a even 200lbs.

No need to rush it, given enough time and/or alcohol it will be 200 plus EASY! And it may have actually been 150 originally, especially before it voided itself all over my leg.

I’d put that fish at a solid 160# now. Original estimate of 135# I think. It pooped out 15#’s in the boat. 10# of inflation over 3 years.

I have a Berkley Tech 35lb. scale bought maybe 2007 or 2008. I’ve changed the batteries in it a few years ago, but still works. I use it more to line check strength than fish weights.

Don’t forget inflation! Every year post catching a PB, it grows 1-2% per year or more if alcohol is involved.
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I have noticed that too. I thought it was just me.